שְׁלִי
𐤔𐤋𐤉
shᵉlîy
H7987 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A substantive indicating a condition or space of privacy, tranquility, or being undisturbed; can express the sense of being alone, at ease, or in seclusion. In context, often denotes a state of quiet or serene isolation, rather than secrecy or concealment, with focus on the lack of intrusion or disturbance.
Semantic Range
privacy, solitude, tranquility, quietness, being undisturbed, ease, rest, peaceful seclusion
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁלה (שָׁלָה), which in its verbal form broadly means 'to be quiet, at ease, undisturbed.' The noun שְׁלִי is formed from this root, signifying a state or experience of quiet, ease, or privacy, but is not a direct verbal noun.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שְׁלִי is a rare term in Biblical Hebrew, occurring only in poetic or specialized contexts (e.g., Job 3:26), typically denoting a condition of tranquility or solitude, sometimes with the nuance of a longed-for or lamented peace. While English translations may render it as 'quiet,' 'rest,' 'ease,' or 'privacy,' none of these fully captures its sense of undisturbed seclusion. Usage is primarily poetic, with the parallelism and context clarifying its connection to states of inner or circumstantial calm. It is distinct from related terms such as שַׁלְוָה (shalvah, 'prosperity, ease, security') and שלום (shalom, 'peace, well-being'), which have broader or different connotations; שְׁלִי emphasizes a personal, often internal, undisturbed state. The term's association in translation traditions with 'quietness' or 'privacy' should not be confused with secrecy or hiddenness, but rather understood as peaceful absence of disturbance. In later Hebrew or post-biblical usage, the term does not appear to persist.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׁלָה; privacy; [phrase] quietly.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁלה (sh-l-h) — to be quiet, to be at ease, to be undisturbed
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7886 | שִׁילֹה | Shiloh |
| H7952 | שָׁלָה | you will lull into complacency |
| H7955 | שָׁלָה | fault |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7987-01 |
בַּ/שֶּׁ֑לִי | basheli | HRd/Ncmsa |
privately | in the quiet seclusion | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7987-01 |
2 Samuel 3:27 | בַּ/שֶּׁ֑לִי | basheli | HRd/Ncmsa |
privately | in the quiet seclusion |